Bode Alalade (1937-2012)

The death last week of Otunba Bode Alalade draws the curtains on the life of one of Nigeria’s most admired professionals. Famous for his clear baritone, his penchant for traditional African attire, and his total commitment to the pursuit of excellence in different fields of human endeavour, Alalade epitomises the golden age of Nigerian broadcasting.

Born in Ibadan in 1937, Alalade underwent an educational career which took him to Lagos, Warri, Sierra Leone and the United Kingdom. He was a prominent member of a distinguished corps of pioneer broadcasters which included Mike Enahoro, the late Chief Ikenna Ndaguba, the late Chief Segun Olusola, Dr. Christopher Kolade, and Mr. Sola Omole. These individuals laid down and maintained the very high standards of presentation and news reading for which the old Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) and its successor, the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), were renowned.

Alalade in particular was well-known as a stickler for propriety both in and outside the studio. Although he was very easy to get on with, he never compromised standards or values. All words, whether indigenous or foreign, were meant to be pronounced properly, and those pronouncing them learnt them until they could pronounce them like native speakers. Proper comportment, poise, punctuality and respect for guests and the audience were non-negotiable. News reading had to be undertaken with close attention to stress, timing and cadence, as well as pronunciation. Since poor presentation could not be recalled, it was vital to get it right first time and every time.

Otunba Alalade was the exemplar of these broadcasting precepts, and sought to teach them to others by demonstrating them in his own work. Many of Nigeria’s best-known broadcasters passed through his methodical hands, and virtually all of them fervently testify to his lasting impact on their lives and on their careers. He was a passionate believer in the transforming qualities of education, and the desire to impart knowledge was manifested throughout his life. As General Manager of the now-rested NTA Channel Seven, he oversaw its rise to the pinnacle of indigenous-language broadcasting.

The death of Alalade and other titans of broadcasting like Chiefs Ndaguba and Olusola bodes ill for the continued progress of Nigeria’s broadcasting industry. While nobody lives forever, it is difficult to discern similar virtues of competence and commitment in many of their successors. Although the industry has grown beyond all recognition with the emergence of private and state-owned broadcasting outfits, it cannot be said that there has been a corresponding rise in the quality of broadcasters.

Indeed, it may be argued that quality has been sacrificed for quantity in the current dispensation. Many of today’s broadcasters, presenters and continuity announcers are no longer the models of elocution that people like Alalade were. Grammatical errors are now so common in contemporary Nigerian broadcasting as to be the norm. The cardinal principles of politeness, punctuality and poise are barely followed; in fact, the more unconventional a presenter or broadcaster is, the more popular he or she seems to be. The rash of so-called “On-Air Personalities” (OAPs) has led to a lamentable lowering of standards, as broadcasting has become an all-comers game, open to everybody and closed to none.

As his friends, former colleagues and other admirers contemplate the life and times of Otunba Bode Alalade, they should remember that the best way to honour the memory of this modest and efficient individual would be to ensure that the standards of excellence that he held dear are resuscitated in the business of broadcasting that he loved so much. May his soul rest in peace.

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Another great one gone. As a kid, the only reason why I would listen to Network News was to watch this great icon, even though most of what he said made little or no meaning to my then young mind. May his soul rest in peace.

TimiTewo 45.

Nobody will live for ever, its debt everybody must pay, may the soul of the giant ace news caster Bode Alalade rest in perfect peace. Sunreeeeee oooooo.